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Thursday, July 22, 2010

Sweet Potato Biscuits

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is not the food of my people. I was raised on sour dough, seeded rye and grain so whole it could crack your teeth. Biscuits, save for shortbread, were not in my purview and I was well into my thirties before I figuratively crossed the Mason-Dixon line and had a true cream biscuit. I loved it, vowed to master its making, but, instead, went home and again made cinnamon buns and kaiser rolls. The foods of a lifetime are the ones learned in the kitchen's of our childhood. Biscuit had no place in my early memories, so they slid from my culinary radar. Then fate intervened and sent a Southern son-in-law my way. Biscuits and their mastery became important as we tried to weave the traditions of his childhood into those of our table. While striving for mastery, I came across a feature that caught my eye and changed the direction in which I was heading. Adam Ried, in an article written for The Boston Globe, claimed, "The wedding of biscuit to sweet potato is an occasion of culinary bliss." Pushing hyperbole aside, I was intrigued by his claim and decided to try his recipe. It makes moist and tender biscuits with a riveting color that comes from roasted and caramelized sweet potatoes. I really like these, but they are not a mix and bake affair. Their execution requires planning and they are a poor choice for a busy kitchen with limited hands to help. If you make these at a time you are not under stress, I think you'll be delighted with the results. Here's the recipe.

Sweet Potato Biscuits...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Adam RiedIngredients:1 medium-large sweet potato, about 14 ounces1/4 cup cold buttermilk2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for patting out dough and cutting biscuits1 tablespoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 tablespoon light brown sugarPinch cayenneSalt and black pepper8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into roughly 1/2-inch cubesDirections:1) Set oven rack in middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet (roughly 18 by 13 inches) with parchment paper or a silicone liner, and set aside.2) Prick sweet potato in several spots with a fork. Place it on a small baking sheet, and bake until tender, about 1-1/4 hours. Cut potato open, peel back skin (to release steam), cool it to room temperature, about 40 minutes. Peel off skin, and roughly mash flesh (you should have about 1-1/2 cups). Add buttermilk, mix very well, and set aside. Again preheat oven to 425 degrees F.3) In a food processor, process 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper until well blended. Scatter butter pieces evenly over flour mixture in food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 6 2-second pulses. Add sweet potato mixture in dollops in several spots over flour and butter mixture, and pulse until flour and sweet potato mixtures combine and just begin to come together into a light-orange dough mass, 10 to 15 2-second pulses.4) Generously flour a clean work surface, turn out dough, and sprinkle top with flour. Knead dough gently, folding it in half and rotating it 3 or 4 times, just until it is uniform and cohesive (try to keep the kneading to a minimum). Sprinkle a little bit more flour on the work surface and dough to prevent sticking, if necessary, and gently pat the dough into a circle that is roughly 8 inches in diameter and 1 inch high (the height is more important than the shape or diameter, which may vary). Dip a sharp 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter into flour and using brisk, decisive, straight-down punches (avoid rotating or twisting cutter in dough), cut out rounds of dough as close to one another as possible (to maximize the number of rounds), dipping cutter into flour before each new cut. Transfer dough rounds to prepared baking sheet, positioning them about 1 inch apart. Push dough scraps together and knead them gently once or twice until cohesive. Again pat out the dough until it is 1 inch high, dip cutter into flour, and in same manner as before, cut out as many dough rounds as possible, and transfer them to the baking sheet with first batch.5) Bake until biscuits are puffed, light golden on top, and deep brown on bottom, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking time for even cooking. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack, cool for about 15 minutes, and serve warm. Yield: 10 to 12 biscuits.

Mary...like you, I didn't grow up on biscuits. But my husband adores them, and so I've been trying my hand at several different varieties. I love using sweet potatoes in my rolls, and I imagine they would be equally as good in biscuits. I wonder if pumpkin would work as well...

no sweet potato here....well potatoes were brought here around 1850 by the greatest scoolar in the country who tried to convince the people that it is a cheap, pleantifull growing vegetable but they resisted since it grew underground and it would feed them throughout the year so they won't go hungry...it was a tough battle to win the people over to grow them but now nobody remembers this...potatoes are a regular par of the diet, just nobody remembered to bring the sweet potato..pity..

"The foods of a lifetime are the ones learned in the kitchen's of our childhood"... what a lovely and true quote. I still cook so much food my mum cooked for the family and every year without fail at Christmas time I bake (together with my son) the biscuits my grandmother (from her recipe) used to bake at that time of the year.

These sweet potatoe biscuits do sound great, but, as you said, I would really have to find a time when I'm not pre-occupied with other things. Maybe when I'm on holiday... Love from London x

In reply to your comment about the red walnuts Mary, I can tell you that they are a red variety, the shell is brown, the taste is the same as ordinary walnuts, but the kernels are a deep red radicchio colour!

I guess your US biscuits would be the equivalent of a UK scone... and looking at the ingredients I would say that was about right... there are so many different recipes for these, both sweet and savoury but i've never tried using sweet potato, so thanks for the inspiration x

Growing up, biscuits were on our Virginia breakfast table several times a week. On holidays, they usually sandwiched country ham--heaven in a biscuit! As a baker, I thought southern milled flour was a must. I've recently discovered that it isn't and we are enjoying a biscuit renaissance here! I'm anxious to try this recipe that combines two favorites.

A sweet potato farmer introduced these biscuits to my family many years ago- I silently thank him every time I serve them :) I'm very sure your son-in-law greatly appreciates your efforts on his behalfxoxo Pattie

Biscuits and sweet potatoes in general are definitely part of my family culinary tradition. I love biscuits, especially with cinnamon honey butter. I use a similar recipe, but I microwave my potatoes instead of roasting (it's much faster). I use the same technique for my sweet potato pie (on my blog).

Mary...this is too funny...as I was scrolling down my blogroll...I saw the title of your post...and you immediately came to mind...and yep...there it was...Mary's latest conquest. LOL It's becoming a little weird the way I'm getting to know my favourite foodies ;o)

Ohhh...and I do love sweet potatoes. I'm bookmarking this recipe for when I have a teeny more extended time in the kitchen.

I had not had a sweet potato biscuit until I was well into my 20's...but once I took my first bite, I was in love! Thanks for sharing your recipe..I'll be definitely making these when it cools off and I'm back in my baking mood!

Homemade biscuits were never on the menu for me growing up either..however I have always had a spot for KFC's biscuits in my life. So good! When I used to work there, I would take some home all the time.

I have childhood memories of my father (Texas raised) making biscuits and cornbread, and they were quite unusual in our Illinois small town. These sound good. Maybe to make it easier, they'd be good if you made an extra sweet potato for dinner some night, and used the leftovers the next morning for breakfast biscuits.

I did not even taste a sweet potato until I relocated to US at the age of 25, so I join your club, but once tried, they became a favourite! Excellent recipe and the outcome looks great- will try it- I have an e-book for entering recipes and yours is certainly on the list top! Now I have to find good, no stringy potatoes and convince myself biscuits are not cookies, as known in Europe:)

Biscuits and sweet potatoes are two things I'm not terrible familiar with (like you it was more about rye bread and Kaiser rolls) but these look delicious and maybe it is time for me to step out of my comfort zone :o0

They do have a splendid color, Mary. :-) Sometimes I like labor-intensive recipes, especially in the midst of stressful times. They relax me and help me work through things in a healthy way. I think these would be that sort of recipe. :-) Delicious!

These are similar to my dads or Grandmas pumpkin scones. Even though they make them effortlessly now, I didn't really eat them as a kid and the thought of me making them always makes me tremble a little as they can so easily be stodgy little bricks compared to light delectable morsels.Yours however look delicious!

I bet these were just delicious, and the sweet potato makes them sort of a potato bread? Dense and chewy. That's how I imagine them, and the surprise pinch of cayenne is a great compliment to the sweet potato. Yum-Me!

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